Jabal al-Nour (also Jabal an-Nur or Jabal Nur), which can be translated from Arabic جبل النور as "The Mountain of Light" or "Hill of Illumination", is a mountain near Mecca in Saudi Arabia's Hejaz region. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mecca. The mountain houses the famed Ghar-E-Hira or Hira cave. The cave is quite small, four arm's length long by 1.75 arm's length wide. The mountain is barely 640m tall. It does however, take two hours to make it to the cave and is extremely strenuous on the individual. However, the mount and the cave hold tremendous significance for Muslims throughout the world. The Islamic prophet Muhammad is said to have spent a great deal of time in the cave meditating and it is believed that he had received his first revelation from the archangel Gabriel, inside this cave from God.
Naming
Since this is where Muhammad is said to have received the first verses of the Quran, the mountain was given the title "Jabal-al-Nour". "Jabal" in Arabic means mountain and "Nour" or "Noor" means light or enlightenment. This experience is sometimes identified with the beginning of revelation; hence the present name. As for the exact date of the first revelation it can be seen through investigation to fix the time to Monday the 21st of Ramadan at night, i.e. August, 10, 610 C.E. or exactly 40 lunar years, 6 months and 12 days of age i.e., 39 Gregorian years, 3 months and 22 days. ..
Why this mountain?
Before Muhammad’s first revelation, he was said to have pleasant dreams. Among these dreams were signs that his Prophethood was starting to appear, and signs that the stones in Mecca would greet him with Salaam which is believed to have been proved true. These dreams lasted for six months. An increasing need for solitude led Mohammed to seek seclusion and meditation in the rocky hills which surrounded Mecca. There he would retreat to Hira Cave for one month, each year, engaging in tahannuth, which means self-justification for the purpose of the Quraysh to engage during Jahiliyyah. He would take provisions along with him during this retreat, and would feed the poor that would come to him. Then before returning home to his family for more provisions he would circumambulate the Kaaba seven times, or however many times God willed; then he would go home.
How Jabal-al Nour looks today
One physical feature that differentiates Jabal al-Nour from other mountains and hills is its strange-looking summit, which makes it look more like two mountains on top of each other. The top of this mountain in the mountainous desert is one of the loneliest of places. However, the cave within, which faces the direction of the Kaaba, is even more isolated. While standing in the courtyard back then, people could only look over the surrounding rocks. Nowadays, people can see the surrounding rocks as well as buildings that are hundreds of meters below and hundreds of meters to many kilometers away. Hira is both without water or vegetation other than a few thorns. Hira is higher than Thabir, and is crowned by a steep and slippery peek, which the Apostle with some companions once climbed. Muhammad was in the habit of staying here with his wife.
See also
- Sacred mountains
- Cumorah
References
External links
3D Tour of Hira Cave
